In the Newspaper clubroom, Koharu and Yosuke are leaning over a large map of the city, folded out to cover various desks they hastily pushed together. On the map, several locations have been marked with thick crosses in black ink, each accompanied by a date. With a sigh, Koharu marks another seemingly random intersection with today’s date, before tossing the newspaper she used as a source to the side.

Koharu: This is pointless.

Yosuke: I mean, you can’t exactly expect this killer to leave, like, clues or something. Were you expecting to, I dunno, end up with a pentagram connecting all the crime scenes or anything? Why would any serial killer even do that?

Koharu: There’s a reason why movies always depict serial killers like that. Usually, there is at least some form of pattern. Nothing obvious, but at least there is some coherence in who gets killed, when, where and how. This is just… random.

Yosuke: Nothing last week, then three victims this week. One early in the morning, one at night, one… seemingly in broad daylight. Two in Inekari, and one just around the corner from where your dad found… Shinomiya’s dad. Guess it’s true that killers always return to the scene of the crime, huh?

Koharu: It’s all over the place. Most people have jobs. Most people live somewhere. They’d have a daily schedule limiting when they can be where. But this killer… just seems to be wandering around aimlessly, 24/7, killing anyone they can get their hands on.

Yosuke: We sure it’s all the same guy?

Koharu: Strange enough to think of one person who’d do this, no?

Hanako: …There’s no rhyme or reason to any of this. At first, it was just homeless people, but now… it seems like anyone could be a target.

Shinju: Even in America, I’ve never heard of someone who just kills random people for no gain just for… fun, or whatever. Can it even be that interesting to go after random homeless guys? 

Koharu: Maybe there is a reason, then? A sacrifice?

Shinju: Some culty thing? Did they carve out the victim’s hearts or anything? 

Hanako: …From what I’ve heard on the news, they were just… shot. And left there. 

Koharu: Ostensibly. Killer could have done anything before finishing the victims off.

Shinju: It’d be nice if somebody survived one of these attacks to tell us something… 

Yosuke: We’re not just going to… wait for that to happen, right?

Hanako: …No one has survived thus far. But what can we do, with what little we have to go on right now?

Shinju: I… don’t know. It’d be nice if we even knew for sure that this was a Puella and not some random gun nut… 

Hanako: Mm… I’m sorry, but I am not sure how much farther we can get at the moment…

Koharu: Tsh. Meeting dismissed, then. (she closes her laptop, grabs her backpack and makes for the door, waiting for Yosuke) You coming?

Yosuke: O-Of course! (he follows Koharu as they both bail) 

Hanako: (With a sigh, she heads towards her plushie pile corner to gather her more pressing belongings)

Shinju: (She sits up from her slouch) Oh hey, Hanako. Didn’t want to mention this in front of Koharu, since there’s not a whole lot she can do about it, but… I saw Yui and Cecilia fighting. Like, seriously, not a spar. 

Hanako: (She turns to face Shinju, but disappointment crosses her face where shock should be) …I see. 

Shinju: You think we should do something about it? Having the older girls all fighting among themselves could be kinda dangerous. 

Hanako: N-No, I don’t disagree, exactly, it’s just… (She closes her eyes as the wind around her comes to a stop) …Is it our place to meddle in the personal affairs of our elder Puellae? We… would run the risk of being pulled into the conflict. They’re both alive after their fight, correct? I imagine we would have heard if one of them killed the other.

Shinju: Yeah, they’re both still alive. Not because they didn’t try, though. 

Hanako: So… one of them fled after losing?

Shinju: No, it’s more like they just decided to stop fighting. You know how it is with them, always super mysterious… 

Hanako: Then… perhaps, in the interest of not acting impulsively, it might be best for us to stay out of their affairs. They fought fiercely, yet stopped willingly. Whatever their reasons, they are not any of our business.

Shinju: Yeah, I mean, I hope you’re right. 

Hanako: (She flashes what can only be construed as a Hanako-attempt at a reassuring smile) Try not to worry about it too much, Shinju. And whatever happens, keep a level head, okay? Trust me, acting impulsively doesn’t usually end well.

Shinju: (She folds her arms and fake pouts) I have never done an impulsive thing in my whole life! 

Hanako: This is an excellent time to continue that practice, then! S-Seriously, though. Be careful around Yui. Her private affairs are… far too dangerous for us to get involved with. I’m sure… I’m sure she’ll work through it all soon.

Shinju: I feel like having private affairs that are too dangerous for people to get involved in is kinda a problem by itself, but I get what you mean. 

Hanako: …Honestly, I’m far more concerned about these murders, than Yui Arashi’s emotional troubles.

Shinju: It’s not just emotional– well, whatever. Yeah, we can take care of these murders first. If we knew where these would happen, we’d be getting somewhere…